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Vormacht wider Willen. Deutsche Außenpolitik von der Wiedervereinigung bis zur Gegenwart. By Stephan Bierling. Munich: C.H. Beck, 2014. Pp. 304. Paper euro16.95. ISBN 978-3406667664.
Bierling's work is designed to be a good general-purpose study of recent German foreign policy, suitable for both specialists and nonacademic readers. He takes pains to avoid the jargon of international relations. In his introduction, he does briefly note the views of the constructivist, realist, liberal, and institutionalist schools of thought on Germany's role in the world. However, he then quickly states that this work is not designed to test any one theory: he intends to simply present a factual narrative and let the reader tease out any theoretical implications.
The work offers, then, a matter-of-fact history of German foreign policy since reunification. It begins with a brief overview of the legacy of the years from 1949 to 1990. It is then divided into sections based on the three Chancellorships since 1990. In each section Bierling begins with security issues, which seem to be his greatest priority, considers economic and EU policy in the middle, and concludes with brief sketches of German relations with key bilateral partners. Under Helmut Kohl,...